The Indian Meteorological Department announced on Tuesday morning that cyclone Fani had turned into an extremely severe cyclonic storm.
At 9.30am on Tuesday, the National Disaster Management Authority informed that Fani lay about 700km east-south east of Chennai and was likely to move north-westwards till May 1 and then “recurve north-eastwards towards the Odisha coast”. A cyclone warning has been issued for the Odisha coast.
The Indian Air Force announced on Monday evening that it “stands ready to provide assistance to the people of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the advent of Cyclone Fani.”
The Indian Navy announced on Tuesday morning that its Eastern Naval Command had assumed heightened degree of readiness to render humanitarian assistance. Indian Navy ships are on standby in Chennai and Visakhapatnam.
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The Indian Navy tweeted that these ships “are embarked with additional divers, doctors, inflatable rubber boats and relief material that include food, tentage, clothes, medicines, blankets”. Naval aircraft are also on standby in bases in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu for relief and rescue operations.
In Kerala, the government has issued yellow alert for the districts of Ernakulam, Malappuram and Wayanad in anticipation of heavy rain on Tuesday. Winds of up to 60kmph speed are expected and fishermen have been asked not to venture out.
